Stand for ash tray



y 1962 R. D. YAW 3,032,306

STAND FOR ASH TRAY Filed June 20, 1960 INVENTOR AO/VALD 0. YAW

QM M

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,032,306 STAND FOR ASH TRAY Ronald D. Yaw, 455 Plymouth SE., East Grand Rapids, Mich. Filed June 20, 1960, Ser. No. 37,461 3 Claims. (Cl. 243-146) This invention relates to a stand for an ash tray. More particularly, this invention relates to a support for disposable ash trays such as cans and the like.

It is a common and well-known practice to utilize empty cans, such as beer cans, soft drink cans and the like, as ash trays at outdoor parties. One rarely has enough ash trays on hand at such gatherings to accommodate all of the smokers. Consequently, the utilization of such empty cans as ash trays is to be expected, rather than throwing the ashes and butts on the ground. The cans are of course thrown away after the gathering breaks up. Since a smoker usually wants his ash tray close by, he must hold these cans in his hands when sitting or standing on the lawn. This of course is both awkward and undesirable. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a support for the type of disposable ash tray described.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a support which conceals the disposable can from view except for its top during use.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a support which is adapted to be positioned alongside the smoker by merely sticking it into the ground adjacent ones chair and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a support which can be easily removed from the ground, carried with the user, and again inserted into the ground at another location.

A further object of this invention is to provide such an ash tray support which may be simply fabricated from conventional tubing of a size sufiicient to receive the disposable cans.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a tubular member, scored or severed in a particular manner to produce a pair of disposable ash trays according to this invention.

These and other objects of this invention will become obvious to those skilled in the art relating to ash trays and supporting means therefor upon reading the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device for providing a pair of supports for disposable ash trays according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the support comprising this invention, positioned for use;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane IIIIII of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the support shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a disposable ash tray positioned for insertion therein.

Briefly, this invention relates to a support for disposable ash trays such as cans and the like, comprising an elongated, generally tubular member with prongs extending from one end thereof and means spaced from the other end of the member extending into the interior thereof for supporting the disposable ash tray. Another aspect of this invention relates to a device for providing a pair of supports for disposable ash trays as described above, comprising an elongated, generally tubular member which is severed throughout its middle portion along generally V-shrped severance lines meeting at their ends, thereby enabling the tubular member to be separated into a pair of supports. Tabs are struck from and spaced from the 7 3,032,306 Patented May 1, 1962 ice ends of this device, extending into the interior of the member for supporting disposable ash trays.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates a device for providing a pair of supports for disposable ash trays, such as beer cans and the like, according to this invention (FIG. 1). The

V device 1 consists of an elongated, tubular member having a cross sectional area generally equal to that of the bee-r or beverage can to be used as a disposable ash tray. A cylindrical tubular member is shown as the preferred embodiment, however, it must be understood that this invention is not so limited since this member could be a conduit having a cross section other than cylindrical. The device 1 is preferably comprised of aluminum of a rigidity suflicient to support the disposable as tray. However, any material exhibiting sufi'icient strength could be utilized. The device 1 is scored or severed throughout its middle portion along a pair of identical, generally V- shaped lines 2 in the surface of the member, the lines meeting at their ends so that the tubular member 1 is easily separable into two identical supports A and B. Tabs 3 and 4 are struck from the tubular member 1, extending into the interior thereof a spaced distance from its ends. The purpose of these tabs is to support the dis- 7 posable can as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

Upon severing the tubular member 1 along the lines 2 as described, a pair of identical supports A and B are formed, each having a pair of sharp prongs 5 and 6 respectively. These supports may be inserted into the ground as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, only a slight pressure needed in order to position the supports. A beverage can 10, such as shown in FIG. 4, having openings 11 in the top thereof is inserted into the open end of the supports. The can 10 is held within the supports by means of the tabs 3 and 4. Thus, the can is concealed within the support except for the top thereof which receives the ashes and butts. It should be noted that the pronglike legs 5 of support A and 6 of support B may be readily removed from the ground so that the supports may be carried to another location and reinserted into the ground for continued use at that location.

The tubular member 1, severed as described, is readily adapted to be conveniently packaged for sale. As shown in FIG. 4, the supports are also readily adapted to receive the advertising or decoration, for example, by means of silk screening. The supports are fabricated from an absolute minim-um of material since two identical supports are formed from a single tubular section. The supports provide excellent holders for disposable ash trays s"ch as beer cans, the cans being simply inserted and removed for disposal.

While only one embodiment of this invention has been s own and described, it may be possible to practice the '"ivention through the utilization of certain other emb diments without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Such other embodiments are included as part of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

I. A device for providing a pair of supports for disposable ash trays such as cans and the like, comprising: an elongated, generally tubular member; said member scored throughout its middle portion along generally V- shaped severance lines in the surface of said member meeting at the ends thereof, whereby said member is easily separable; and means spaced from the ends of said member extending into the interior thereof for supporting the disposable ash trays.

2. A device for providing a pair of supports for disposable ash trays such as cans and the like, comprising: an elongated, generally tubular member, said member severed throughout its middle portion along a pair of generally V- shaped severance lines in the surface of said member meetfrom the ends of said member extending into the interior ing at the ends thereof; and means spaced from the ends thereof for supporting the disposable ash trays. of said member extending into the interior thereof for supporting the disposable ash trays. References Cited in the file of this patent 3. A device for providing a pair of supports for dis- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS posable ash trays such as cans and the like, comprisingzan 1,568,607 JunKunc Jan. 5, 1926 elongated, generally tubular member, said member severed 2,421,140 Blaner y 27, 1947 throughout its middle portion along a pair of generally V- shaped severance lines in the surface of said member meet- FOREIGN PATENTS ing at the ends thereof; and tabs struck from and spaced 10 1,074,888 France Oct. 11, 1954 

